Bert van den Brink was born on the 24th. of july 1958. When he was five years old he got his first piano lesson. In 1976 Bert started his professional classical education at the conservatory of Utrecht. (The Netherlands) Herman Uhlhorn was his teacher. In 1982 he graduated cum laude. In that same year he was employed at the Utrechts' conservatory to teach jazz piano.

From childhood he has already been improvising a lot on piano and organ. In this field of the music Bert is completely self taught. In the first period after graduation he gave several classical recitals, but gradually the balance changed more to jazz. In 2007 Bert van den Brink got the VPRO/BOY EDGAR-AWARD.

He performed and is performing with musicians like: Gino Vannelli, Richard Bona, Toots Thielemans, Chet Baker, Nat Adderley, Eric Vloeimans, Bert Joris, Benny Golson, Lee Konitz, Rick Margitza, Willem Hellbreker, Philip Catherine, Jesse van Ruller, Clare Fischer, Enrico Pieranunzi, Louis van Dijk, Ignasi Terraza, Jules de Corte, Jannie Du Toit, Cor Bakker, John Engels, Hein van de Geyn, Hans van Oosterhout, Maria Markesini, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Denise Jannah, Miranda van Kralingen, Heleen van den Hombergh, Thomas Oliemans, Klaartje van Veldhoven, and Fred Delfgaauw.

In 1990 and 1991 he was the pianist in the quartet of Dee Dee Bridgewater. For some years he was the musical director in the band of Denise Jannah. He was the pianist in the Heleen van den Hombergh quartet. Bert performed with the vocalist Miranda van Kralingen in the program "vocal variety"

Bert plays solo jazz piano live or on the internet or on CD all under the name: Bert's Bytes. In the past Bert recorded several solo albums. One of those albums "Jazz at the Pine Hill" got an Edison Nomination. Unique is the album "blowing" (2013) Jazz & Pop performed on church organ by Bert van den Brink

The Bert van den Brink trio with bass player Hein van de Geyn and drummer Hans van Oosterhout released their first trio album "between us" in 2004. As a side man he is recording more and more as you can find out further in the discography.

With vocalist Thomas Oliemans, Bert recorded The song cycle of Franz Schubert Winterreise. As arranger/producer his works are played by the Metropole orchestra, the Dutch Wood winds Ensemble, Denise Jannah and others. One of the highlights is his arrangement of the opera Porgy & Bess performed by the Houdini's and new Sinfonietta Amsterdam.

Strings surround (for piano and string quartet) is composed by Bert van den Brink in 2011. There are many future plans and dreams. Bert hopes and tries to realize a lot of them.

http://www.bertvandenbrink.com